General Information

HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY

Ball State University was founded as Indiana State Normal School, Eastern Division, in 1918. Its antecedents, all housed in what is now the Ball State Administration Building, were also normal schools, owned and operated under various names. In 1918, the Ball brothers, a prominent Muncie industrial family, bought the property and donated it to the state of Indiana, which, in turn, transferred control of the school to the board of trustees of the Indiana State Normal School in Terre Haute. In 1922, in recognition of the generosity of the Ball brothers, the board added Ball Teachers College to the school’s name. In 1929, the Indiana General Assembly separated the two colleges, naming the Muncie campus Ball State Teachers College.

On February 8, 1965, the general assembly renamed the institution Ball State University in recognition of its phenomenal growth in enrollment and physical facilities; the variety and quality of its educational programs and services; and in anticipation of the much broader role it would be expected to assume in the future.

DESCRIPTION OF THE UNIVERSITY

Ball State University is a comprehensive, publicly assisted institution of higher learning whose mission is to provide excellent education. It is located in Muncie, Indiana, a city of 70,000, fifty-six miles northeast of Indianapolis. Although its primary concern is for the citizens of Indiana, it offers programs with appeal to regional, national, and international audiences.

Ball State University offers a strong undergraduate liberal and professional education and selected graduate programs of high quality. Ball State students can choose from a comprehensive range of academic programs at the associate, baccalaureate, and master’s levels, as well as doctoral programs in areas where the university has special competence. In addition to core academic programs in the arts, sciences, and humanities, the university offers more than 140 major and minor areas of study through its seven colleges: Applied Sciences and Technology; Architecture and Planning; Miller College of Business; Communication, Information, and Media; Fine Arts; Honors College; Sciences and Humanities; and Teachers College.

The university has a selective admissions policy; in some areas, such as architecture, the university is very selective. Exceptionally well-qualified undergraduate students may enroll in the Honors College for more intellectually demanding programs of study. Students who have not decided on a major or who may need to strengthen their learning skills can take advantage of the special academic assistance and intensive educational advising offered by University College.

As part of Ball State’s commitment to excellence in education, the university offers students a friendly, collegial atmosphere; a full range of out-of-class activities; and excellent, well-planned academic, residential, and recreational facilities. An impressive array of student support services contributes to the personal, social, and intellectual development of all students.

Although Ball State University is primarily a residential academic community, it also supports programs that reach students well beyond the immediate campus. Through interactive telecommunications, Internet courses, and on-site courses, Ball State distance learning students are able to take courses and entire degree programs. The university has a strong commitment to cultural diversity and international programs. It offers exchange programs with universities throughout the world and a wide variety of opportunities for students to study abroad.

VISION

Ball State University will be a national model of excellence for challenging, learner-centered academic communities that advance knowledge and improve economic vitality and quality of life.

MISSION

Ball State University is an innovative, supportive academic community that inspires students by:

Engaging state, national, and international communities to enhance educational, economic, and cultural development.

THE BENEFICENCE PLEDGE

Members of the Ball State University Community . . .

Pledge to maintain high standards of scholarship and excellence

To work with students, faculty, and staff to strengthen teaching and learning on campus. pledge to practice academic honesty

To model and uphold academic integrity, to honor their peers and earn the trust and respect from all members of the community. pledge to act in a socially responsible way

To treat each person in the Ball State community with civility, courtesy, compassion, and dignity; to respect the property and environment of the campus.

Pledge to value the intrinsic worth of every member of the community

To respect and learn from differences in people, ideas, and opinions.

ACCREDITATION

Ball State University is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the National Architectural Accrediting Board of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Committee on Professional Training of the American Chemical Society, and the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.

All teacher education and licensing programs are accredited by the Indiana Department of Education's Division of Professional Standards and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Programs in the College of Fine Arts are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, the National Association of Schools of Music, and the National Association of Schools of Theatre. The Museum of Art is accredited by the American Association of Museums.

The university is an institutional member of the American Association of University Women.

In the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, the didactic program in dietetics is accredited by the American Dietetic Association. The Child Study Center is accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs, a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

The technology teacher education program in the Department of Technology is accredited by the Council for Technology Teacher Education. The manufacturing engineering technology program is accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202, telephone (410) 347-7700.

The School of Nursing is accredited by the Indiana State Board of Nursing and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036-1120; (202)-887-6791.

The athletic training major in the School of Physical Education is accredited by the National Athletic Trainers Association.

The program in urban planning is accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board of the American Institute of Certified Planners and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.

The Miller College of Business is accredited by the AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). The accounting programs, undergraduate and master¹s, are accredited by the Accounting Accreditation Committee of AACSB International.

The program in medical technology is accredited by the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Life Sciences.

The Department of Geological Sciences is accredited by the American Institute of Professional Geologists.

The Department of Journalism is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.

The associate degree programs in radiography and radiation therapy are accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology.

The Center for Medical Education is accredited as a part of the Indiana University School of Medicine by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, Association of American Medical Colleges.

The Legal Studies Program offered through the political science department is approved by the American Bar Association.

The Department of Social Work is accredited by the Commission on Standards and Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education.

The Counseling Center is accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services, and its internship training program is accredited by the American Psychological Association.

The University also holds membership in many professional organizations, including the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, American Council on Education, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Council of Graduate Schools in the United States, National University Continuing Education Association, and College Entrance Examination Board.

UNIVERSITY SCHOOLS

Burris Laboratory School serves as a laboratory in which preservice and inservice teachers can observe education practices; prospective teachers can gain experience working with young people before student teaching; and teachers can develop, study, and test ideas and methods for improving education. The school publicizes its findings and offers consulting and leadership services for public schools. Burris Laboratory School enrolls students in kindergarten through the twelfth grade.

The Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities is a residential school for three hundred of Indiana's most academically gifted high school juniors and seniors. In addition to core courses required for all students, the exploratory curriculum gives students the opportunity to sample advanced courses from the university's curriculum and to pursue individualized research and experiential education opportunities in cooperation with businesses, university faculty members, and practicing professionals. Students are also required to provide services to both the Indiana Academy and the larger community. The Indiana Academy also offers extensive outreach program. Included are a one-year teacher fellowship program; monthly and summer staff development workshops for teachers; on-line resources for students and teachers K-12; year-long Advanced Placement, foreign language, and science distance learning courses for high school students; and an extensive two-year elementary modern language course.